Magnetic writing device holder



Oct. 6, 1959 J. M. BOSLAND 2,907,035

' MAGNETIC WRITING DEVICE HOLDER Filed Aug. 21. 1957 IN V EN TOR. dam-s M. 450;: m0

BY W

v 2,907,138? Patented Oct. 6, 195 9 rim MAGNETI WRIG DEVICE HOLDER James M. Bosland, Packanack Lake, N.J., assignor to Ketcham and McDougall Inc., Roseland, N.J., a corporation of New Jersey Application August 21, 1957, Serial No. 679,355

6 Claims. (Cl. 24-10) This invention relates to a novel improvement in pen and pencil holders and particularly to a magnetic holder for writing instruments.

The usual practice in providing holders for pens and pencils is to attach to these instruments clips made of aflexible metal. These clips act to securethe pen and pencil in a pocket or lapel. When such a device is new, it may be stiff, hard and diflicult to clip; when the instrument is old and worn there may be little clipping ability. In any event the device is often difficult to use and ineffectual to provide sure safe-keeping.

A special problem arises when pens and pencils are used by women. Having no pockets or lapels on which they may clip the instrument a woman either has to carry it in her hand or in her purse. In the hand a pen becomes annoying and in the purse it is inaccessible. On the other hand, many pencils have no clips at all nor do they have any holding device.

It has previously been proposed to attach a pencil to a flat surface by a flat magnet, as disclosed in Us. Design Patent 149,897. However, such fiat magnets have various drawbacks. The magnet may slide off the fiat metal contacting surface, and is otherwise relatively easy to disengage.

The present invention provides a fastener device for a pencil or other writing device which comprises a metallic sphere on one end of the pencil and a magnetic socket which engages the sphere to hold it firmly and rotatably in place, while permitting ready removal and replacement. The invention also provides means for aligning the pencil in desired relation to the magnetic socket and/ or to the element, such as a board or writing pad frame, upon which the socket may be mounted.

The object of this invention is to provide a holder for a pen or pencil instrument that has no need for pockets or lapels on which to hang and in particular to provide a device that can be readily removed and re placed and centered, thereby assuring that the writing instrument is always handy and available for use.

It is often convenient and advantageous to have paper and pencil readily available at the same time, and the failure to have one or the other at strategic moments is quite vexing. This invention may be readily used in combination with a desk or Wall pad so as to eliminate the problem of the elusive pencil.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a magnet having a concave contour on its active face, a pair of poles, and a channel therebetween. I

The magnetic holder of the present invention, being spherical, presents a greater cohesive contacting surface as between the concave magnet socket and the ball on the end of the pencil than was heretofore attainable when a flat magnet was held against a planar surface. Surface interface contact is thereby increased per unit area of cross-section. Furthermore, when the ball end of the .pencil of this invention is placed against a mating magnetic socket, and the users aim is not directly at the center of the magnetic socket, the ball contour will tend to move toward the center of the socket and seat itself; which does not occur with mating flat metal-to-magnet surfaces, in which latter event it is diflicult to obtain the full effect of the intended magnetic attraction between the respective surfaces. Also, with the ball-and-socket arrangement of this invention, the magnetic force between the holding member and the held member is not diminished as the angle of the pencil is changed, e.g. by swivelling the pencil throughout a series of arcs subtending angles of almost and covering almost a hemisphere with respect to the plane of the base of the concave magnetic socket.

Other features, uses and objects of this invention will be apparent when the following description is considered with the annexed drawing. The drawing illustrates the invention applied to an automatic pencil and comprises a metal ball cap, attached to the top of a pencil, which in turn is swivally seated in a magnetic socket. magnetic socket is fastened in one embodiment to an ornamental pin which may be worn by the user, or in another embodiment to a desk pad so as to be readily accessible.

Figure l is an elevational view of one form of the invention;

Figure 2 is a vertical cross-section view taken along line 2-2 of Figure 1, showing the structure of the ball cap and magnetic socket;

Figure 3 is a plan of the structure of the magnetic socket;

Figure 4 is an isometric view of form of this invention in combination with a desk or note pad holder;

Figure 5 is an elevation view showing details of one embodiment of a pencil and holder connection; and

Figure 6 is a plan of the embodiment of Figure 5.

A standard automatic lead pencil 10 has a threaded screw portion 11 at the end opposite the writing end 12. Screwed to portion 11 is a ball cap 14, consisting of steel, or other metallic substance in a substantially spherical shape having a threaded tap 15 of the same width and pitch as the threaded screw portion 11.

The ball cap 14 may be unscrewed from the pencil barrel allowing access to the internal portions of the pencil.

A magnetic socket 16 adapted to receive the spherical cap 14 comprises a solid cylinder of magnetized material such as alnico or another metal capable of being made to retain a high degree of magnetic force. A concave spherical recess 17 is provided within oneend of the socket cylinder 16 having an arc radius substantially the same as the radius of the'spherical ball cap- 14 so that the ball may be snugly encompassed by the recess when fitted therein. It may be seen that the ball 14 will automatically seat itself in the concave recess and that the pencil 10 may upon replacement of the ball into the recess occupy any of a wide variety of angles relatively to the socket, whereupon the user may drop the pencil end and permit it to swing or swivel into a rest position. v

The cylindrical magnet 16 is further provided with a channel 18 running diametrically across its width at the same end as the spherical depression 17 so that the necessary polarity may be provided for the magnet. The north and south poles 2525 of the magnet are located on either side of the channel 18. A bore 19 is axially cut in the magnetic socket 16 accommodating a swivel post 20 and ring 21 fitted therein, as by riveting.

Suitable means may then be attached to the ring 21 to provide a mounting for the magnet. In one embodiment a conventional decorative ornamental pin 22 is attached to ring 21 that may allow the user of the pencil to pin the magnet to her dress or suit to provide an easily accessible pen or pencil holder.

The

In the embodiment shown in Figure 4 a magnetic socket 16 is mounted directly onto a desk pad frame 26 by screw or other suitable means through bore 19. A pencil 27 having a spherical cap 14 of the type previously described rests within recess 17 and across writing paper 28. As a desk accessory its advantages are numerous. The frame 26 is provided with clips 29 so that it may be attached to a telephone base where it is handy not only to record memoranda but the pencil and spherical cap may be used as an aid in dialing.

A feature of a preferred embodiment of the invention is shown in Figures and 6. This is the advantage of self-positioning of the pencil axially relative to the socket 16. The concave recess 17 is contoured to receive the sphere 1 4 and is sufficiently deep to permit a portion of the shank of the pencil 10 to rest in the channel 18 in the socket 16 when the point of the pencil is in its lowermost position and'pointing in the direction of the arrow at the left of Fig. 6.

It is also preferred in this embodiment that the relation between the plane 30 of the base for the socket, the point of the pencil 10, and the size and depth of socket 17 be such that when the pencil is in the dotted position at 31 in Figure 6, i.e., when the pencil does not extend into the groove or channel 18, then either one of two displacements occurs: either the pencil is raised to position 32 shown in dotted lines in Figure 5, or the point of the pencil will touch the plane 3% and the ball 14 is slightly raised out of the socket 17. The practical efiect of this arrangement is to impel, or tend to impel, the pencil shaft 10 into the position shown in solid lines in Figure 6. Thus, if the pencil is initially replaced in substantially the position shown in dotted lines in Figure 6 with respect to the socket, and the other end (point end) dropped, the ball will rotate in the socket and the pencil will seek the solid position shown in Figure 6.

Although the invention is shown with these ornamental configurations, it may be practiced with many other modifications and variations. Other desk, table, or wall mountings may be attached to the swivel post 20 or directly through the bore 19 for use in any desired way or location.

This invention is not limited to use with the pencil. It may be used on fountain pens, ballpoint pens, or other writing instruments.

The magnetic cylinder with its spherical depression may be varied in shape andsize and may be changed to provide any desired ornament and the spherical cap may be attached to the writing instrument in any suitable and desired manner.

Inasmuch as it is thus possible to practice this invention in many ways, it is my desire not to be limited by the scope of the disclosure herein but solely by the claims as appended hereto.

What is claimed is:

1. A holder for a writing device of the type having a barrel and writing means at one end thereof, comprising a substantially spherical metal cap member .attached to said barrel at the end opposite said writing end, a magnetic socket comprising a magnetized metal member having at one end a concave recess corresponding to said spherical cap and having a channel extending diametrically across the width of said socket, a bore axially cut through said socket, a swivel post mounted within said bore and an ornamental pin attached to said swivel post for fastening said magnetic socket, wherein said spherical metal cap is seated within said magnetic socket with a self-centering action and may be readily removed therefrom.

2. A holder as claimed in claim 1, wherein the spherical metal cap is removably attached to said barrel.

3. A holder for a writing device of the'type having a barrel and writing means at one end thereof, comprising a substantially spherical metal cap removably attached to said barrel at the end opposite said writing end, a magnetic socket comprising a magnetized metal member having at one end a concave recess corresponding to said spherical cap and a channel extending diametrically across the width of said socket, and means for fastening said magnetic socket to another object, wherein said spherical metal cap is seated within said magnetic socket with a self-centering action and may be readily removed therefrom.

4. A holder for a writing device of the type having a barrel and writing means at one end thereof, comprising a substantially spherical metal cap attached to said barrel at the end opposite said writing end, a magnetic socket comprising a magnetized metal cylinder having a concave recess corresponding to said spherical cap and a channel extending diametrically across the width of said magnetic socket, said channel being of a width sufficient to seat a portion of said barrel when the spherical metal cap is seated in said concave recess, wherein said spherical metal cap is seated within said magnetic socket with a self-centering action and may be readily removed therefrom. :3 5. A holder for a writing device of the type having a barrel and writing means at one end thereof and adapted for use with a paper pad frame, comprising a substantially spherical metal cap attached to said barrel at the end opposite said writing end, a magnetic socket comprising a magnetized metal member having at one end a concave recess corresponding to said spherical cap and a channel extending diametrically across the width of said socket, said channel being of a width suflicient to seat a portion of said barrel when the spherical metal cap is seated in said concave recess, and means for securing said magnetic socket to said frame, wherein said metal cap is swivelly seated within said magnetic socket with a self-centering action.

6. In combination, a writing implement and a holder therefor, said implement having a shaft and a spherical ball element mounted thereon, said holder including a magnet having on one face thereof a concave recess adapted to seat said ball element, said magnet having a pair of magnetic poles on said one face and a channel extending diametrically across said concave recess between said magnetic poles, the width of said channel being suliiciently large to seat a portion of said shaft when the spherical ball element is seated in said concave recess, wherein said ball element is seated within said recess with a self-centering action.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS D. 149,897 McFadyen June 8, 1948 2,385,859 Jacobson Oct. 2, 1945 2,510,634 Hull June 6, 1950 2,659,169 Brennan Nov. 17, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 935,507 France Feb. 2, 1948 1,030,172 France Mar. 11, 1953 OTHER REFERENCES Abstract of Serial No. 615,908, Moore, published Feb. 14, 1950, Ball Point Fountain Pen. 

